By Jordan Strickland / Full360 Reporter

I spotted him while driving down North Avenue in my home city of Baltimore — a narrow figure breathing very heavy and drenched in sweat as he was near his end of his daily 20-mile run.

It wasn’t the first time I’d seen him. As a kid, my father used to tell me, “Keep an eye out for the running man.” Back then, I’d scan every corner during car rides through the city, wide-eyed and hopeful to catch a glimpse of Baltimore’s legend.

This time, I pulled over. After all these years, I had to ask him the question that had lived in my head since childhood: “Why do you run?“

He stopped and caught his breath. When he looked at me, it was almost like he could see my soul and said, “Young man, I run for my health.”

His name is Keith Bossier, and he has earned the famous nickname “The Running Man.” No regular human is easily gifted his nickname the running man especially at his age of 72 years old. Keith Bossier takes his health very seriously and doesn’t take any day for granted. Each day, he said, is another opportunity to be better than yesterday. The neighborhood running man is from Trinidad and moved to the United States around the 1970s to earn his degree in Washington DC at Howard University and earned his degree in mechanical engineering. But he’s always been a resident in the city of Baltimore.

Even as a kid, my father would always tell me to look out for the running man. He runs is one of the most dangerous cities in the country, but that doesn’t scare the running man, nor does it deter him of his goals. He takes the approach , “If they don’t bother me. I won’t bother them.”

He continues to run.

He’s been running 20 miles every day for the past 30 years why you may ask once he was diagnosed with his kidney disease. The doctors immediately thought it was best for him to start doing so to improve his health after being diagnosed. You would think he is preparing for a marathon or even a race but no, simply for his health he is in competition with absolutely no one.

Every time Keith runs, he is always heavily acknowledged by the city of Baltimore even from children being let out of daycare to drivers honking, and exchanging friendly hand waves with all passing law enforcement. His drive and passion for his own health is bringing positivity to the city and strength to residents in the city, and the people of Baltimore still witness the ‘Running Man’ from West to East, and North to South by staying fit in a city crowded by drugs, guns, crime, and violence.

Nowadays, the only thing preventing Keith to a consistent, running schedule our barriers, such as rain, snow, and sometimes hospital appointments he must attend to. He calls his love for running like a healthy addiction.

“Running helps build character,” he said with a soft-spoken voice. You make a commitment to the distance you want to run, and you do it you don’t quit.”

What I learned from that is that no matter the obstacle around you, you must keep pushing just like the running man. 

Keith Bossier, known as the “Running Man,” shows resilience and dedication to his personal health, inspiring the Baltimore community through his unwavering commitment to running despite personal challenges. His story serves as a powerful reminder that perseverance in the face of adversity can foster not only personal growth but also a positive influence on those around us.